This week, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Anne East to talk career zigzags, long-form writing, and the curious joy of falling down research rabbit holes.
From Cosmopolitan work experience to a decade in retail buying, to a local authority web author job and finally 10 years of freelancing, Anne shares how she built a flexible career around writing, parenting and sheer persistence.
Anne talks methodical writing, agonising over intros, why cleaning the kitchen is often the best cure for writer’s block, and the power of clear, simple copy over unnecessary complexity.
They also talk about the underappreciated gem that is Alien vs Predator, the beauty of listening to Chopin in the rain, and the glory that is Alan Menken's score for Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Find Anne on LinkedIn
Visit her website, Black Stag Copy
In this episode of QuadCast, Sara is joined by Liz Maughn from Empower Mental Health Training & Consultancy for an open and practical conversation about mental health at work.
Liz shares her journey from decades in social care to becoming a mental health first aid trainer, and why proactive support is essential for every business.
They explore how mental health first aid works, the signs leaders and colleagues should look out for, why prevention saves time, money and stress, and how organisations can build policies and cultures that genuinely support people.
If you’re a business owner, manager, or employee who wants to make your workplace safer, healthier, and more supportive, this conversation is a great place to start.
Find Liz on LinkedIn
Visit Empower Mental Health Training & Consultancy's website
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Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life License code: G9SCINP8RPI9FMYA
This week, Lewis is joined by Mitchell Wood, a poet turned freelance copywriter.
From leaving school at 16, discovering poetry, and completing Open University creative writing degrees, to going in-house before finally taking the freelance leap for family and flexibility, Mitchell shares how he built a generalist career spanning cosmetics, construction, sustainability, cooking, pets, accounting...and a whole load of LinkedIn ghostwriting.
They get into Spider-Man, the uncanny valley, Poldoore's unique blend of jazz and funk, and that time Marco Pierre White read Mitchell’s script on camera.
Find Mitchell on LinkedInVisit his website: contentwithmitch.co.uk
This week, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Suzanne Frear to talk career pivots, storytelling, and why good enough is often more than good enough.
From 18+ years facilitating and admin-ing in a European bank in Germany, to maternity leave experiments with newsletters, to finally walking away post-Brexit to go all-in on words, Suzanne shares how she rebuilt a career around writing, community and human connection. There’s chat about working with everyone from osteopaths and aesthetics clinics to antique dealers in the Outer Hebrides, and why not niching by industry has actually become her niche.
They also dig into ghostwriting so clients “hear themselves” on the page, allyship charities, social-change film festivals, and the importance of being your own biggest fan.
...and once again, Lewis recommends The Exorcist and Barbra Streisand's memoir...
Find Suzanne on LinkedIn
Visit her website
This week, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Sam Whitlock to talk freelancing, tone, and why copy’s real power sits far beyond “words on a page.”
From studying copywriting at university and seven years agency-side, to going solo to slow the pace and go deeper, Sam shares how he prototypes ideas fast, workshops with clients, and solves communication problems (not just content requests).
They dig into open briefs that start with “what fun could we have?” and lead to brand strategy, employer brand, and culture, finding your own voice vs. finetuning your brand voice, and why content marketing is shifting.
Find Sam on LinkedIn
Visit samuelwhitlock.com
Check out Yes Friends and join their newsletter
This week, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Sheryl Hickey to talk bold brand voice, audience-first storytelling, and why authenticity beats “post daily” content every time.
From “storyteller on wheels” tour guiding and a lockdown travel blog, to editorial work and going freelance, Sheryl shares how screenwriting and acting classes sharpened her timing, how she niches into travel, wellness and sex-positive brands, and why emails and About Us pages are her happy place.
They also dig into AI, the two-track writing process, ADHD focus rituals, and the shift from content noise to strategy, consistency and real connection.
Find Sheryl on LinkedIn
Visit Sheryl's website, Shez Writes
This week, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Stuart Davis to talk freelancing, finding your tone, and why value is such a keyword in copywriting today.
From early days freelancing straight out of university, to years working with agencies on tech and manufacturing content, to carving out his own consultancy approach, Stuart shares how he balances briefs, adapts tone of voice, and why he's proud of the full body of work rather than any single project.
They also dive into AI, the challenges of networking as a reserved creative, and the value of collaboration with other disciplines.
Find Stuart on LinkedIn
Visit his website, Creative Imp
This week, Lewis is joined by Kirsten Parnell-Vernon, Senior Copywriter at Tiger Marketing. Kirsten shares her story of discovering copywriting by way of a linguistics degree, a master’s in forensic linguistics, and Cancer Research UK comms.
They get into living a brand, why pen-and-paper is still the ultimate thinking tool, and how to thrive when ten deadlines collide. Kirsten talks niche clients, long-form B2B, pushing cheeky tone of voice even when it’s not your “natural,” and the simple joy of a client saying, “You’ve nailed it.”
There’s a frank take on AI, from ethics to Kerry Harrison’s “AI sandwich”, plus a love letter to Martin Amis’s work, and a surprising writing soundtrack recommendation.
Find Kirsten on LinkedIn and Substack.
Find Tiger Marketing at tigermarketing.co.uk.
This week, Lewis is joined by Adam Brannon, Senior Content Strategist at Herd and founder/editor of Movie Metropolis, to talk copy, cinema, and where those worlds collide.
From a Cubs Christmas story that was “too dark,” to Press Association days writing TV/film listings, to leading content at Herd, Adam shares how he plans rigorously for clients, removes ego to honour brand tone, and why one LGBTQ+ sexual-health article became a proud “speak to the audience you’re missing” moment.
They also nerd out on Jurassic Park, the Marvel-style quip problem, and writing to film scores...and Barbra Streisand.
Find Adam on LinkedIn
Find Movie Metropolis at moviemetropolis.net, on Instagram and on Facebook
Find Herd at herd.io
This week, Lewis is joined by Cassdy Grigg, freelance copywriter (and our first international guest!), to talk yearbooks, SaaS, and making freelancing work on her own terms.
From award-winning high school yearbooks and in-house SaaS marketing to surviving layoffs and building a freelance career, Cassidy shares how she writes audience-first, why websites and emails are her sweet spot, and how she uses AI transparently.
They also talk about curing writer's block by literally talking it out, the strange dichotomy between Instagram and LinkedIn with their "style over substance" and "substance over style" attitudes, and how LinkedIn got fun once Cassidy stopped overthinking it.
Find Cassidy on LinkedIn.
Visit Cassidy's website.
Subscribe to Cassidy's newsletter, Sloppy Copy.
This week, Lewis is joined by Michelle Robinson, a former NHS mental health professional who pivoted into copywriting after a single Facebook post led to ten same-day enquiries. They talk freelancing from zero to sustainable, values-led work; writing for therapists and agriculture; and why “what’s in it for me?” beats technical jargon every time.
Michelle shares her whiteboard-first process, her cure for writer’s block, and how to balance safe options with a wild-card idea clients didn’t know they wanted. There’s a clear-eyed take on AI, plus mentoring, imposter syndrome, and the Stephen King must-read that sharpened her craft.
Find Michelle on LinkedIn and at michellerobinsonwriter.com
This week, Lewis is joined by Ash Billinghay, a freelance copywriter with a knack for irreverence, client-winning tone, and the occasional rant about bad advertising.
From AOL chatrooms and Joanna Lumley’s welcome message to writing tone of voice guidelines for First Direct and becoming the voice of Samsung’s training academy, Ash traces his journey from agency life to freelance freedom.
They also dive into advertising’s big problem with data, KFC’s cult-like chicken ads, and why data will never tell you to put a gorilla and Phil Collins together.
Also featuring rants about AI, love letters to Bob Mortimer and Dave Trott, and a creative process that involves putting a teabag in your brain.
Find Ash at ashbillinghay.com and on LinkedIn
In this episode, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Amy Hawthorne to trace her route from a chemical plant grad job to years of travelling, to landing agency roles in Melbourne, and the moment she asked, “What the hell is a copywriter?” That question kick-started a career that now spans brand voice workshops, bold lifestyle work, and helping challenger brands stand out.
From drawing tone-of-voice inspiration from The Great Gatsby, Wicked, and even Paris, to building a swipe file that keeps ideas fresh, Amy shares how she avoids repetition, why small brands give copywriters the most freedom, and the projects that pushed her out of her comfort zone (hello, crypto and Gen Z social).
They also get into AI: useful for targeted research, but never for the writing, plus the ethics, the energy cost, and why polished-but-generic isn’t the goal. Amy’s advice for newer copywriters is refreshingly direct: get a job first, do the work, learn the systems, then go freelance.
If you’re curious about crafting distinctive voices, running idea-rich workshops, and keeping copy unmistakably human, this one’s for you.
Connect with Amy at thecopyhouse.uk and on LinkedIn.
In this episode, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Lauren Holden to talk about her route from local journalism to agency life, and why one “dream job” wasn’t what it seemed. Lauren shares how she quit with nothing to go to, how healthcare became her unexpected niche, and the honest reality of writer’s block.
From pitching NME and running music columns to conceptual campaigns about ice cream (yes, really), Lauren opens up about collaboration, client feedback, and why she’ll always defend the em dash. She also gives her take on AI tools.
If you’re curious about finding your voice across industries, balancing tone with client goals, and keeping your writing human in a noisy digital world, this one’s for you.
Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn, Instagram, and at laurenholden.co.uk.
In this episode, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Eddie Hall to talk about his unusual path into copywriting, from a criminology degree to landing his first in-house job just a week after graduating, to bouncing back from redundancy and building a full-time freelance career.
From the power of a single landing page to change a customer’s mind, to the frustrations of AI content checkers, to why “it loves a dash” (and why everyone on LinkedIn suddenly loves the Oxford comma), Eddie shares honest insights, resilient lessons, and a sharp take on what clients often misunderstand about good copy.
If you’ve ever questioned whether copywriting can truly make an impact, or want to hear two writers laugh about commas, jazz, and why AI should stay far away from our entertainment, this is the episode for you.
Connect with Eddie on LinkedIn.
In this episode, host Lewis sits down with freelance copywriter Emily Redman to talk about her journey from journalism graduate to agency life, and why she recently took the leap into freelancing.
From rewriting AI-generated copy to working on high-stakes projects for billion-dollar brands, to admitting her creative process is “chaotic” (in the best way possible), Emily shares candid insights, plenty of laughs, and a refreshing take on the “niche vs. generalist” debate.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to go freelance, or want to hear two writers swap stories about travel, late-night deadlines, and even classical piano playlists, this is the episode for you.
Connect with Emily on LinkedIn.
Welcome to Copy That, the new series from QuadCast that's all about copywriting.
In our very first episode, host Lewis sits down with freelance copywriter Eleanor Jones to talk about how she began copywriting straight after graduating in 2020, why her old blog posts are off-limits, and how she turned a pandemic side hustle into a full-time creative career.
From navigating feast-and-famine freelancing to writing eBooks on burnout, to the eternal debate of “to niche or not to niche,” Eleanor shares candid insights, plenty of laughs, and a few truths every aspiring copywriter needs to hear.
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to turn a love of words into paid work, or want to hear two writers nerd out about dashes, blank pages, and everything in between, this is the episode for you.
Connect with Eleanor on LinkedIn.
A quick intro to Copy That, a new QuadCast series all about copywriting - the real kind.
Hosted by Lewis, this series features one-on-one conversations with copywriters from all kinds of backgrounds, talking honestly about how they work, how they started, and how they’re figuring it out.
New episodes drop weekly.
Subscribe, follow, and stay tuned.
In this episode of QuadCast, Lewis and Sarah are joined by special guest Ravinder Rakkar - founder of RKR Content Creation and host of Stratford Buzz Networking.
Together, they unpack the power of informal, in-person networking, the evolution from structured groups to fuss-free events, and the irreplaceable value of genuine business relationships.
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🌐 Website: https://www.alphaquad.co.uk/
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/new-life License code: G9SCINP8RPI9FMYA
In this episode, Sara and Tim sit down with Chris Dilley, Managing Director of Techsil, a leading specialist in technical adhesives and tapes.
Chris shares Techsil’s journey from a small UK-based business to an international player, diving into their acquisition strategy, customisation capabilities, and the vital role of technical expertise. We explore how digital transformation, through e-commerce, LinkedIn, and AI, is reshaping manufacturing and B2B sales.
Chris also discusses the importance of company culture during rapid growth, offering insights on maintaining a people-first approach while scaling. A must-listen for anyone interested in modern manufacturing, digital marketing, or business leadership.